The present invention relates to leak detectors for swimming pools.
Sometimes, swimming pools leak. In fact, leakage is one of the most common problems with swimming pools. Leaks may occur anywhere. But they most often occur in the seams between prefab panels, in the filter lines, at corroded fittings, or at any scratch in vinyl-liner pools. Leaks are usually easy to find in above-ground pools, but can be difficult to locate in in-ground pools. A number of different leak detectors are shown in the prior art with which I am familiar. See, for instance, Bontempo U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,690 issued Nov. 19, 1991; and Monten U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,313 issued Jan. 28, 1986.
My invention is a device to assist the pool professional, or even the pool owner, in finding leaks. It dispenses small, controlled drops of dye precisely at suspected leaks. If a leak is present, the dye will be sucked through the crack. If no leak, the dye will just float there in the water. The operator injects some dye, and watches it for a few seconds to determine the presence or absence of a leak. My injector is electrically controlled. The controlled amount of dye is released by simply pressing a button. It will be seen as this description progresses that my invention is an improvement over the prior art.
My device comprises two basic parts attachable to a standard pool pole. An injector head attaches to the bottom end of a standard pool pole, in the same way that pool brushes and vacuum heads are attached. A battery case attaches to the top end of the pole, and never needs to be submerged. The injector head and battery case are connected by an electric cord and switch means.
One preferred injector head comprises a syringe with the dye (ordinary food coloring and water), a flow regulator, and an electrically-operated valve for releasing the dye. The flow regulator makes sure that the dye oozes out in a slow, calm manner. If the dye shoots out turbulently, it dissipates and cannot be tracked. The valve may be a conventional and readily available open/closed solenoid valve, protected from water intrusion.
The battery case comprises the batteries that energize the solenoid valve, and switch means that connects and disconnects the circuit. The case is preferably fabricated so it can strap to a standard pool pole.
Since the device is powered by a few flashlight batteries, there is no electric hazard, as there might be if house current is used to power the valve. The preferred device runs on four AA cells, providing 6 volts. This is an important feature, distinguishing the leak finder from anything powered by higher voltages or greater sources of electric power.
The preferred exit port means nozzle is a flexible tubing. This is far less likely to tear a vinyl-liner pool than is a rigid nozzle.
The advantageous features of my invention are as follows:
(a) The device is electric powered, requiring only the push of a button to inject a very controlled shot of dye deep down in the pool at the lower end of a long pole. PA1 (b) The electric power necessary to run the device is low voltage and low amperage. Both are so low that there can be no safety hazard to people in the pool or to the person using the device, even if there is an electrical short in the device. PA1 (c) The flow rate of the dye is controlled in a reliable, definite manner by the device, so that the injected drops of dye sit in the water as coherent, visible masses for as long as possible. Each button-push results in an identical injection action. PA1 (d) The device employs exit port means including a flexible nozzle tube that cannot puncture vinyl-liner pools or gouge the caulk out of seams in concrete pools. PA1 (e) The nozzle tube may be long and thin, to separate the dye injection point (and suspected leak) from eddy currents caused by movement of the bulk of the injector head. PA1 (f) The power source and controls are located at the upper (handle) end of the pole, while the injector head is at the lower end, and the two are connected by a thin, flexible wire. This (a) allows the user to check the pool without entering the water, (b) keeps the power source and controls out of the water, and (c) balances the weight so there is less weight to be held up and maneuvered at the far end of the pole. PA1 (g) The primary control (push-button switch) is simple-to-use and is mounted so it can be operated by the thumb of one hand while the fingers of that hand grip the pole. This is important because a 15 foot long pole needs to be gripped firmly with both hands if it is to be held near one end for more than a few seconds. PA1 (h) The device easily attaches to a standard pool pole, but can also be lashed to other poles. Thus, the user can test any part of most private pools without entering the water. And most users can employ a pole that they already have.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a pool leak detector for use in combination with a pole having a proximal end to be used as a handle and a distal end to be submerged in the pool. The detector comprises means for providing a container of dye carried on the distal end, the container having exit port means for conveying dye from the container into the water. A battery-operated actuating means for releasing dye from the container through the port means is provided, the actuating means comprising a battery pack for supplying electrical energy. The battery pack is carried on the proximal end of the pole, and an electrically-operated actuator for releasing the dye is carried on the distal end of the pole. The container may be a collapsible container and the detector may include means for placing the container under load to eject dye from the exit port means. The exit port means may comprise tube means leading away from the container, and the electrically-operated actuator may include a solenoid valve for opening and closing the tube means. In another embodiment, the electrically-operated actuator may comprise a motor and a driven shaft for engaging and loading the container when the motor is driven.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a detector comprising a battery pack for mounting on the proximal end of a pole and a dye-ejector pack for mounting on the distal end of the pole, the dye-ejector pack comprising a syringe to be filled with dye, the syringe having a plunger and exit port means. In this embodiment of the invention, means for loading the plunger to eject dye from the exit port means is provided, and electrically-operated solenoid valve means for controlling flow through the exit port means is also provided. In this embodiment, means for selectively electrically-connecting the solenoid valve means to the battery pack to release dye from the exit port means may include conventional connector wires and a pulsing switch. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the loading means comprises a rubber element stretched to pull the plunger inwardly into the syringe. Also, in a preferred embodiment, the exit port means may comprise a first length of soft flexible tubing leading away from the syringe and further comprise means for adjustably controlling the rate of flow of dye through the tubing, the controlling means including means for controllably squeezing the tubing. In this embodiment, the first length of soft flexible tubing connects the syringe to the solenoid valve means and the exit port means further comprises a second length of soft flexible tubing leading away from the solenoid valve means to provide a nozzle through which dye is ejected into the water in the pool.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide electrically-operated means for driving the plunger to eject dye from the exit port means, the driving means comprising an electrically-operated motor and gear set and a threaded shaft driven by the gear set. The shaft is in driving engagement with the plunger such that, when the motor is driven, the plunger is driven into the syringe to eject dye from the exit port means. In this embodiment, means is provided for selectively electrically-connecting the motor to the battery pack to eject dye, the connecting means comprising connecting wires and switches.